Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-27
THE MEXICAN TRAGEDY.
Further Particulars Concerning
the LeOm baldwin Murder.

THE MEXICAN TRAGEDY.
Further Partlculars Concerning
the Leon baldwin Murder.
The Examiner correspondent to-day
called upon Consul Brigham, whose
office is on the other side Of the river,
to interview him about the numerous
outrages committed on American citi-
xens in Mexico. The Consul is in
very poor heath, and was very re-
luctant to talk, particularly upon
Mexican matters. Americans do not
stand fair show in that country.
When they take leave of their native
soil their Government takes mighty
little interest in their welfare. This
is his opinion, and it is abundantly
proved by the facts cleaned from the
reports of cases which occurred in his
consular jurisdiction, and which also
shows that the Mexican has no very
exalted opinion of 9he rights of the
person and property of American liv.
ing in that country. A few cases are
herewith given:
= An American by the name of VIM
Dalton, an employee of the Texas Pa.
cific Railroad, visited Paso del Norte
to see the old town and returned
about 9 O'Clock in the evening. He
was in the act of crossing the railroad
bridge over the Rio Grande, and, not
being able to speak or understand the
Spanish language, when he was halt
ed by the Mexican guard, attempted
to pass on to the American side. He
was fred upon and killed.
The Mexican was arrested and
Jailed, and is still in confinement
since January last, and no disposition
has been shown by the Mexican au-
thorities to bring him to trial, al
though the facts shown conclusively
prove that it was murder.
MURDER TWO.
Another case was at Tresjacales, a
small village on the Rio Grande,
about thirty or forty miles below Paso
del Norte. A Mexican by the name
of Gregorio Rivera, residing on the
American side and claiming to be a
citizen of Texas, attended dance on
the American side, and during the
time constable from Mexico crossed
over to the Texas side, and, going into
the house, demanded that the prop
rietor pay the usual tax levied by the
Mexican local authorities on all per-
sons giving these parties. He was
refused by the proprietor, on the
ground of his being an American
citizen, living in Texas, and owing
allegiance to the United States. He
was threatened by the constable, who
said he would get even with him, and
left.
The next day the proprietor's son
and Rivera crossed the Rio Grande to
look for some stayed or stolen horses,
when they were suddenly halted by
the Mexican magistrate and the con-
stable who had endeavored to collect
the tax, who approached within few
yards Of them, when the constable
asked the magistrate if he should
|'kill him." Rivera did not hear the
reply, but the constable raised his
Winchester and fired at him, the ball
his shoulder and coming out
of the lower part OF the bowels.
They carried Rivera to a prison in
Tresjacales, where he remained until
his brother came over from the Texas
side and prevailed upon authorities to
allow the wounded man to be moved
to private house, where he died in
great agony that night
By persistent efforts of the Consul
the magistrate and constable were ar
rested very reluctantly by the Mexi-
cans, and after some sort of trial, of
which they gave the Consul no notice,
after repeated promises to do SO, they
were. turned loose, with the credit OF
having killed another Gringo.
The case was reported to Washing
ton by the Consul and no action was
taken because it was shown that the
murdered man was native of Mexico,
although he claimed to be citizen of
Texas.
A CASE OF KIDNAPPING.
Thomas Brown, claiming to have
been born in the city OF San Francisco,
whose father was an American and
whose mother, Mexican, was ar
rested last summer and jailed in Paso
del Norte an minor offense. He was
taken out of Jail by the Mexican po-
lice to perform menial service in light
ing the street lamps, and while thus
engaged suddenly ran off and made
his escape across the river into the
suburbs of Ell Paso, where he was
pursued by two Mexicans, one of
them a policeman, and overtaken
near the round-house of the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, and
shot at twice by his pursuers. Brown
secreted himself in a culvert of the
railroad, and when the Mexicans
came up they arrested and treated
him most cruelty, beating him over
the head with their pistols and with
stones. They seized him and forcibly
and violently carried carried him from
American territory across the Rio
Grande to Paso del Norte, where he
was again imprisoned.
He applied to Consul Brigham for
protection, and the Consul went to see
and found him suffering from a num-
ber of brutal wounds inflicted on his
head and face, and his condition pitia-
BILE in the extreme. The consul then
took steps to bring the matter before
the State Department. The Mexican
authorities arrested the two kidnapers,
held them short time and discharged
them without punishment. The Mex
lean authorities, evidently becoming
alarmed at their unjustifiable course
in holding Brown, released him.
This was one of the clearest cases
of kidnapping that has ever been
brought to the attention of the coun-
try.
Judge Brigham is a gentlemen of